The present invention concerns a system and apparatus for closing the abdominal opening of the sac of an indirect hernia, and more generally for closing sacs having narrow neck openings.
The problem of herniation is one that may be experienced by men, women and children of either sex and generally relates to the abnormal protrusion of an organ or part of an organ or a portion of tissue through an aperture in its containing cavity. The usual hernia treated by this system is congenital in origin, although it tends to manifest throughout life from infancy to old age. Increased intra-abdominal tension may or may not play a part in the development of the herniation.
The treatment of a hernia inevitably involves surgery wherein the area of the hernia is opened, the contents of the hernia are replaced, and the opening closed by suture material. Obviously such a procedure leaves a rather large and sometimes unattractive scar at the incision site which is generally in the groin area. More importantly the surgery carries a long list of both general and local complications, both immediate and delayed, including a small number of fatalities.